190 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



every gully and level spot in the whole country 

 has been at some time or other the bed of a 

 creek. From the battle with the waters the species 

 comes out stronger and more fitted to continue the 

 struggle, notwithstanding that the individual has 

 been overcome. 



When we contemplate this destruction from one 

 point of view it seems most distressing. A mag- 

 nificent giant of the forest towers above our heads 

 to-day, and to-morrow it has fallen and carried 

 destruction to others in its descent. The work of 

 centuries has been undone in a few minutes, and 

 there lies the victim of the ruthless flood. But 

 every year, or twice a year, the warrior has been 

 doing his level best to scatter his progeny over the 

 surface of his enemy, to be floated through hun- 

 dreds of miles of country and carry on the struggle 

 wherever there is an opportunity. Some of these 

 will no doubt be stronger and better fitted for the 

 strife than their parent and therefore be an honour 

 to the family. The individual in nature lives in 

 his children, and as long as any of his descendants 

 remain we cannot say he is really dead. No, a 

 step in the ladder of evolution has broken, but as 

 the climber will never require to retrace his steps 

 the broken foothold has become quite useless. 



